"We are extremely proud to recognize these artists and their work with these nominations," said Jeffrey A. Okun, Chair of the Visual Effects Society. "The art of visual effects has become the art of storytelling in a new and compelling way and we congratulate these artists for the finest work in our field this year." As previously announced, Christopher Nolan will be honored with the inaugural VES Visionary Award and Ray Harryhausen with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The 9th Annual VES Awards will take place on Tuesday, February 1, 2011 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel and will air exclusively on REELZCHANNEL Saturday, February 19, 2011 at 10p ET/PT with encore presentations throughout February.

Stargate Universe is nominated for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Series.

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Robert Carlyle Wins Gemini Award!http://stargate.mgm.com/view/news/2525/index.html
Mon, 15 Nov 2010 09:00:00 +0000urn:Content-2525Congratulations to Robert Carlyle on his win for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role, for his role as Dr. Nicholas Rush in the Stargate Universe season one episode ldquo;Humanrdquo;.

Congratulations to Robert Carlyle on his win for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role, for his role as Dr. Nicholas Rush in the Stargate Universe season one episode “Human”.

The Gemini Awards honor the best in Canadian television as determined by members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television and other industry professionals. The November 13, 2010 broadcast was the Gemini's 25th annual ceremony.

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SGU Complete Season 1 DVDhttp://stargate.mgm.com/view/news/2346/index.html
Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:25:56 +0000urn:Content-2346Stargate Universe Season One Transports Onto Blu-ray And DVD October 5 From MGM Home Entertainment With Over Two Hours Of Bonus Materials!

Stargate Universe Season One Transports Onto Blu-ray And DVD October 5 From MGM Home Entertainment With Over Two Hours Of Bonus Materials!

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (August 23, 2010) – Emmy® nominated for outstanding special visual effects, the first season of the hit show “SGU” debuts as a complete set on Blu-ray and DVD October 5 from MGM Home Entertainment. The collection features the opening chapter in the spectacular saga as it follows a group of people that is unexpectedly transported to the other side of the universe only to find that their sole mission is survival.

An exciting stylistic change from previous Stargate series, “SGU” Season One offers an in-depth look at human nature and the inner struggle between right and wrong. The latest series of the popular franchise features a brand new cast including Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty), Brian J. Smith (Hate Crime), David Blue (“Ugly Betty”), Jamil Walker Smith (“Hey Arnold!”), and newcomers Louis Ferreira, Alaina Huffman, Patrick Gilmore and Elyse Levesque. Plus fans will enjoy special appearances by original cast members Richard Dean Anderson (“MacGyver”) and Amanda Tapping (“Stargate SG-1”).

Showcasing all 20 episodes, the “SGU” Season One Blu-ray and DVD feature an extended pilot with never-before-seen footage, exclusive behind-the-scenes featurettes, video diaries and commentary on every episode. In addition, fans can enjoy Blu-ray exclusive special features such as extra Destiny SML (Star Map Log) and the SGU: Survival Instinct Game. The brand new interactive game challenges players to use their knowledge, intelligence and skillfulness to jump through a series of time loops in order to return to the Destiny.

About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLCTwentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company. Representing 75 years of innovative and award-winning filmmaking from Twentieth Century Fox, TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions on DVD, Blu-ray Disc Digital Copy, Video On Demand and Digital Download. The company also releases all products globally for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce throughout the world.

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Andy Mikita Interview - Stargate Magazine #34http://stargate.mgm.com/view/news/2175/index.html
Fri, 28 May 2010 09:00:00 +0000urn:Content-2175Andy Mikita started his Stargate voyage as a first assistant director on Stargate SG-1rsquo;s pilot Children of the Gods, over a decade ago.An interview with Andy Mikita featured in issue #34 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine.

Andy Mikita started his Stargate voyage as a first assistant director on Stargate SG-1’s pilot Children of the Gods, over a decade ago. He’s come a long way since then, working his way up through second unit director and production manager before he made his directorial debut with Stargate SG-1’s season three adventure Foothold. Mikita then went on to direct and produce dozens of Stargate SG-1 episodes as well as instalments of Stargate Atlantis, and he is now heavily involved with the show’s current incarnation as a director and co-producer on Stargate Universe.

With all his experience and involvement on Stargate, it came as no surprise that he was given the honor of directing Universe’s three-hour opener Air. However, unlike his previous adventures through the Stargate, this one started out a little differently.

“Although our official prep date for Universe was still way off, as soon as I knew I’d be directing Air, I wanted to be involved as early as possible, which was terrific,” says the director. “That allowed me the opportunity to be here when they were designing and building the set. Normally, a director isn’t around for that sort of thing, so I had the luxury of being able to throw out the odd suggestion or idea to James Robbins (production designer) and Scott Wellenbrink (construction coordinator).

“I also got to fly down to Los Angeles in December (2008) for all the cast callbacks. I had never been a part of that process before. I got to sit in the room where all the final decisions were being made. Typically, that’s the domain of the executive producers. I’m sure for a pilot director that’s normal, but having never directed a pilot, that was new to me.”

VISUAL TONE

In Air, Stargate Command’s off-world Icarus Base is attacked and its personnel must abandon it and escape through the Stargate. However, instead of returning home, they end up stranded onboard an Ancient starship, called Destiny. With the ship locked on a pre-set course and our heroes unable to dial the Stargate back to Earth, they must quickly find ways to replenish basic needs like food and water. Topping that list, though, is air, given that Destiny’s life support systems are failing and atmosphere is venting into space.

“For me, one of the most memorable sequences in Air is when Senator Armstrong (Christopher McDonald), who is very unwell, decides to sacrifice his life for the benefit of the crew,” says Mikita. “There’s a breach onboard the ship, and the only way to remedy that is to seal off one of Destiny’s shuttles. However, that can only be done from the driver’s seat of the shuttle. So we filmed a sequence where the senator did just that, and it was a huge emotional moment, obviously, for his daughter Chloe (Elyse Levesque) and the rest of our characters.

“That was an especially tough sequence to do insofar as being able to articulate it properly and make it feel as moving as it did on the page. Of course, the cast was fantastic, which made it a lot easier to do than I first anticipated. In general, the entire shoot for Air ended up going smoother than I first thought it would just because everything was falling into place so well and so quickly. A lot of that had to do with having Rob Cooper on-set with me all the time. If any issues came up, we would deal with them instantly, and if something wasn’t working for him, Rob would jump right in and we would fix it.”

Read the full interview in issue 34 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine - on newsstands now!

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Julia Benson Interview - Stargate Magazine #34http://stargate.mgm.com/view/news/2176/index.html
Thu, 13 May 2010 09:00:00 +0000urn:Content-2176Tough, compassionate, loyal, determined and, at times, like most human beings, a little too emotionalmdash;those are just some of the qualities belonging to Stargate Universersquo;s Lt. Vanessa James.An interview with Julia Benson featured in issue #34 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine.

Tough, compassionate, loyal, determined and, at times, like most human beings, a little too emotional—those are just some of the qualities belonging to Stargate Universe’s Lt. Vanessa James. She and several fellow soldiers—as well as dozens of scientists and civilians—found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Through no fault of their own they’ve ended up on a journey across the stars.

Along for the ride is actress Julia Benson, who happily put on James’ military fatigues and combat boots for a chance to help tell their story. Unlike the lieutenant, however, this is not the actress’ first trip through the Stargate.

“I’m a local actor from Vancouver and Stargate is a huge part of our film industry here and the [film and TV] community.

“I actually did an episode of Stargate Atlantis called Irresistible,” says Benson. “I’d auditioned quite a bit for the show before finally being cast as Richard Kind’s (playing Lucius Lavin) head wife, Willa. I just remember stepping onto the set and instantly feeling what an incredibly well-oiled machine it was. Everyone was so friendly and it was a very family-oriented place. That’s all been reaffirmed for me since coming to work on Universe. They’re amazing people here.

Triple Threat

Having that Atlantis episode under her belt, Benson subsequently tried out for not one but three parts in Universe. “My first audition was for a character named Andrea Palmer,” she recalls. “Then I came back and found out that they [the producers] were considering me for a character named Riley, who is now played by the wonderful Haig Sutherland. Then I got to read for Vanessa James, and as soon as I read the sides [script pages] I immediately knew that I wanted to play her. We didn’t know much about the characters at the beginning. It was literally just a one-page breakdown on each of them, but I loved the way that Vanessa was written, with a lot of fire and life.

Uncertain Future

In Universe’s first season three-episode opening story Air, an attack by the Lucian Alliance on the off-world Icarus Base, sends Lt. James and all other base personnel through the Icarus Stargate and on a one-way trip to the Ancient starship Destiny. Separated from their loved ones and all else familiar to them by billions of miles, they quickly learn to survive on their own and, along the way, must try to find a way home to Earth. While their characters faced an uncertain future, Benson and her fellow castmates were carefully guided through the shooting of this three-part story by longtime Stargate producer/director Andy Mikita.

“Andy is the best,” says the actress with a smile. “Air was epic—it felt like we were doing a feature film. This cast is huge and we were all here, all the time, for some long days. When we went on to do other episodes, there were scenes where it might be just you and one or two other people, and those stories felt a little different to shoot. So it’s nice whenever we get back to doing ensemble-based episodes like Air. As actors, this show has been a dream as well as a gift, and the cast is phenomenal. Every day we all come to set with big smiles on our faces and it’s because of who we’re working with, so it’s pretty special.”

Read the full interview in issue 34 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine - on newsstands now!

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Robert Cooper Wins WGC Award!http://stargate.mgm.com/view/news/2122/index.html
Tue, 20 Apr 2010 09:26:36 +0000urn:Content-2122With what had to be more than 600 revellers, the WGC celebrated screenwriters in Canada last night at the 14th annual WGC Screenwriting Awards. A jammed room cheered each finalist in the eleven categories, and thunderous applause followed each uttering
With what had to be more than 600 revellers, the WGC celebrated screenwriters in Canada last night at the 14th annual WGC Screenwriting Awards. A jammed room cheered each finalist in the eleven categories, and thunderous applause followed each uttering of "and the winner is..."

Congratualtions to Robert C. Cooper on his win in the Episodic 1-Hour category for his script for the Stargate Universe episode "Time".

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER. For complete rules or to enter go to http://stargate.mgm.com/sweeps between 4/6/10 and 6/6/10 and complete and submit the on-line entry form. Limit of one entry per person. Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the U.S., 18 years and older. Void where prohibited by law.

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Robert Cooper Interview - Stargate Magazine #33http://stargate.mgm.com/view/news/2016/index.html
Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0000urn:Content-2016An interview with Robert Cooper as featured in issue #33 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine.An interview with Robert Cooper as featured in issue #33 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine.

Dr. Nicholas Rush looks through the microscope and examines the tiny droplets of water on the specimen slide. Frowning, the scientist sits back in his chair; clearly his findings are not good. He and Lt. Tamara Johansen explain to Colonel Everett Young that the ice brought back to the Destiny from a planet they recently visited is contaminated. Everyone, including the three of them, has been infected and unless a cure is found and soon, they are all going to die.

“Cut! That was great; let’s try it one more time,” says Stargate Universe co-creator/executive producer and on this episode, director, Robert C. Cooper.

Although he loves writing and, of course, producing, it is obvious from the look on his face and enthusiasm in his voice, that Cooper equally enjoys his work behind the camera as a director.

Experience Applied

Stargate Universe is Cooper’s third outing with the Stargate franchise, having previously been one of the writers and directors, as well as executive producer, on Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, and a co-creator alongside Brad Wright of Atlantis and Universe. Even with all that combined experience, though, getting this latest dramatically different installment of the franchise off the ground was just as difficult as launching any new TV series.

With Universe being given the go-ahead, Cooper and Wright began penning its pilot episode, Air. What started out as a two-hour episode eventually became a three-hour adventure, and the show’s direction took a slightly different turn even before going in front of the cameras.

“Writing the first episode of anything is always a struggle because you’re trying very hard to come up with something that introduces your characters to the world,” explains Cooper. “It’s very easy, though, to get pilot-oriented and write something that is overly focused on the introduction. For us, what made the pilot work was its actual structure where we tell two stories that are inter-cut, one story being the present situation of the team appearing on the Destiny, and then the other story of how they got there, which is told in flashbacks. I think that helped propel us forward with regard to how we wrote the pilot.

“As far as the filming of Air, we’d talked a lot about the style of the show and what we wanted to try to do. To then actually see it happen and come to life was great. There is a certain magic that comes out of this specific type of filming, which is documentary style and having the cameras sort of hang back and just try to capture the action that’s happening on the stage. It’s much more like watching a play unfold. Right away it was clear that we were getting something we’d hoped for but weren’t sure was going to happen, which were stronger and more natural performances. That’s obviously a testament to the high quality of our cast.”

Read the full interview in issue 33 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine - on newsstands now!

When Lt. Matthew Scott signed up for military service, he never imagined just how much it would one day change his life. People who do join may expect to serve their country, while some are following in the footsteps of family or friends, and others want to make a better life for themselves. Few expect to find themselves hurled across the galaxy with a random bunch of strangers, with little chance of returning to Earth.

While Scott faces his predicament head-on, Brian J. Smith—the actor who plays him on Stargate Universe—has his own challenges. “My character is fresh out of [military] training, so he’s very much by the book,” explains Smith. “Scott could probably tell you what the manual says and the procedure for handling a certain situation, but he’s actually now in a position where he is forced to experience the stress of being a leader in a really visceral way.”

Right off in the show’s pilot episode [Air], we see Scott starting to come into his own. He’s got a big military heart, and as we’re watching him grow, we’re also seeing him making mistakes and losing it, sometimes more than he should.

“Scott is a very emotional kid, and that’s not surprising considering his past. He lost both his parents in a car accident when he was very, very young, and the man who raised him, a preacher, drank himself to death when my character was around 16 years old. Scott then got a girl pregnant, so he had to face that aspect of himself, which was extremely disappointing and disturbing to him. The thing that saved him was the military. Instead of running away, turning to drugs or becoming a delinquent, he bucked up and decided to make something of himself.”

Positive Support

Although he has only been working in the industry for a few years, Smith has been an actor long enough to know what makes such a career rewarding for him.

“It’s all about the people,” he says. “You hear terrible things about the stars of some TV shows and the terrors that they’ve put people through. I’ve never had to deal with that. I’ve had wonderful role models and people who have always set a great example, worked hard, were positive and supportive of their fellow actors.”

“I’ve found that once again with Stargate Universe. There could have been one of 10 other actors sitting here, but for whatever reason, the cards played out in my favor. It’s a miracle, so why not enjoy a miracle when you’ve got one, and I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy more than one so far. Believe me, I have no complaints. I’m one very happy guy.”

Read the full interview in issue 33 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine - on newsstands now!

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SGU Nominated for WGC Award!http://stargate.mgm.com/view/news/2013/index.html
Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:32:56 +0000urn:Content-2013Congratulations to Stargate Universe executive producer Robert Cooper on his nomination for the episode Time in the Episodic One Hour category.
Congratulations to Stargate Universe executive producer Robert Cooper on his nomination for the episode "Time" in the Episodic One Hour category.

The WGC Screenwriting Awards honours excellence in screenwriting and will celebrate the winning words of 2009 on April 19 at the 14th Annual WGC Screenwriting Awards held in Toronto.

This year, more than 148 scripts vied for the judges’ attentions. The entries have been narrowed to 43 finalist scripts across 11 categories, including screenwriting for feature film, episodic half-hour and one-hour, documentary film and more. In all, 76 screenwriters are up for awards. The winners will be announced at the 2010 WGC Screenwriting Awards on Monday, April 19, 2010, at Maro in Liberty Village, Toronto. Several special awards, including the WGC Showrunner Award, will also be handed out at the event.